News About News About en-usPayout hikes for dividend-paying stocks were plentiful last week, and topping the list is Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO), which raised its regular quarterly dividend for the 48th time in the last 45 years.

The tobacco giant announced Thursday it's boosting its quarterly payout 8.3%, or $0.04, to $0.52 per share.

The Wall Street Journal noted on Nov. 18 that 51 of the top 100 Nasdaq stocks currently pay dividends. That's in stark contrast to December 1999, when a mere nine of the top 100 Nasdaq companies paid dividends.

]]>With so many factors triggering market uncertainty, like the timing of the Fed taper and a lackluster earnings season, investors continue to love their dividend stocks - especially with so many raising payouts in October.

It's an interesting time for dividend seekers. According to Fidelity Investments, corporate cash balances sit at some $1.8 trillion - the highest in history. Yet, payout ratios are still at 50-year lows. That suggests there's plenty of room for dividends to rise.